Surviving The Mountain
by mamabee
Summary: Oliver returns from fighting Ra's but is scared to tell Felicity. This story follows the immediate aftermath of Oliver's return. It is 13 total chapters and includes my theories on what happened to Oliver on the mountain top.
1. Chapter 1

Oliver crouched on the rooftop and held his breath. He didn't know how long it had been since the last time he stood here. Months? Weeks? He didn't know and didn't want to know. The air was cold and he steadied his breath. She had gotten smarter since he had been here last. Her drapes were closed. Her windows locked. Some of her innocence lost. That was his fault and a twinge of guilt made him cringe. He wanted to tell her he was alive. He desperately wanted to see her, smell her, hold her, but he was scared. The thought of being afraid made him smile. Oliver had faced many fears but the idea of making Felicity angry kept him paralyzed on that rooftop.

He took a deep breath and made his way down the fire escape. There was only one way to move forward, he was going to have to face her. The snow crunched under his feet as he fell from the last rung of the fire escape. His breath hung in the cold air and he shivered slightly, pulling his black coat tighter. He quietly walked across the street; up the stairs and without hesitating any longer he knocked firmly on the door.

He didn't know what time it was but he knew it was late and he knew she wouldn't open the door without looking through the peephole. He held his head up high so she could see him clearly. He heard her footsteps lightly pad across the floor and the light in the peephole darken and then she screamed. It was a short, frightened scream and the sound of it made his heart break.

"Felicity? It's really me. Please open the door. We have a lot to talk about."

Silence hung in the air. Oliver tried the doorknob but it was locked. He tried again. "Felicity, I know you're upset, please let me in" – the pleading in his voice surprised even him. The time he stood there felt like an eternity but finally he heard her fumble with the locks and the door swung open.

She backed away from the door. She was wearing lavender flannel pajama pants and a matching tank top, her hair loose around her shoulders. But it was her eyes that made Oliver catch his breath. Her normally bright blue eyes were sunken, rimmed red. It was obvious to Oliver that not only was she crying now but also had been crying for a very long time. Her hands were clamped tight over her mouth as if preventing the screams that were deep inside her from coming out.

Oliver stepped over the threshold, closed the door behind him and reached out to Felicity. He took two steps forward trying to put his arm on her shoulder but she pulled away from him. Oliver's heart sunk. He knew this was going to be hard. Part of him had secretly hoped she would have just jumped into his arms but the fear, hurt and anger in her eyes told him this was going to be even harder than he anticipated.

Felicity shook her head and lowered her hands and in a shaky breath she whispered, "You are dead. You died. I cried for you. I've been crying for you. I haven't slept in weeks" Oliver hung his head in defeat. "I know. I thought I was dead too." He looked up and tried again to step closer to Felicity. This time she didn't back away. Oliver stood close enough to smell her berry-scented shampoo, and to see the ridges in her glasses. He desperately wanted to reach out and pull her into his chest but he didn't want to mess this up. He had spent his whole life saying the wrong things and he didn't want to do that now. "The only thing that kept me going was the thought of you Felicity. I was wrong. I was wrong about so many things." Oliver sighed and his shoulders hung a little lower.

Felicity looked up at him and Oliver noticed her expression change from shock to anger and in a quick movement she slapped Oliver hard against the face.

"YOU DIED! YOU TOLD ME THAT YOU LOVED ME AND THEN YOU DIED! DO YOU HAVE ANY IDEA WHAT THAT DID TO ME? AND THEN YOU WALTZ BACK IN HERE AND THINK THAT I'M GOING TO BE OKAY WITH THAT?"

Oliver's cheek stung but he didn't rub it to make it better. He'd put Felicity through hell and he knew it. He deserved much worse than a slap across the face.

Felicity crossed her arms and started pacing around the room. "Who else knows? Have you seen Thea? Diggle?" Oliver quickly interjected, "No, you are the first person I came to see. You are the only one I thought about. You are the only one that matters."

Felicity continued to pace and Oliver stayed still. He was going to take whatever she threw at him because he knew he deserved it. He wasn't going to defend himself or ask for anything. He was just hoping – hoping that perhaps she might still love him. Oliver could see Felicity's mind processing. He had seen her do this many times before, her eyes darting quickly, her mind racing. She was figuring things out and he just needed to give her silence.

Her pacing slowed and then stopped and when she looked up at him her whole body had changed. Her cheeks were red with emotion, her eyes were sparkling and Oliver braced himself for another onslaught of anger. What she did next surprised even Oliver. Felicity turned around, took four quick steps and leapt into Oliver's arms and began sobbing into his neck. He wrapped his arms around her waist and held her tight. He eased them both to the ground. He lifted her face and brushed away her tears and he murmured gently, "I am so sorry Felicity. I didn't mean to scare you and I definitely didn't mean to hurt you. I really do love you and I understand if you don't feel the same. Why would you? How could you? But I do beg you to forgive me. Please forgive me Felicity." Felicity's tears continued to fall and she straightened her glasses. "I thought you were dead Oliver. I..I was heartbroken. I didn't want to wake up or go to work and I stayed out of the Foundry for weeks. Diggle had to beg me to return." Oliver's heart ached; there was no way he could make up for this. He held Felicity close in his lap and the warmth of her made him want to never let go. They sat there staring at each other and Oliver swiped the last couple of tears from her cheek. Felicity took a deep breath, closed her eyes and when she opened them she had a smile on her face. Oliver cocked his head to one side curious why she was suddenly smiling and before he could ask, Felicity grabbed both sides of his face and kissed him. Her soft pink lips were pressed firmly against his and Oliver felt a warm tingling spread all over him as if Felicity's love alone could heal him. Felicity slowly pulled away and gave a big sigh. She stood up and shook her head. Oliver looked up at her, his face filled with confusion unsure what this turn of emotions meant. Felicity extended a hand and helped Oliver stand up. She held his hand and pulled him over to the couch and indicated for him to sit next to her. "Okay, so tell me what happened on the mountain top".


	2. Chapter 2

Oliver was unsure of some of the details himself but he did the best he could to explain the battle. "I was outmatched from the beginning. I really did think I had a chance at beating him but after the first couple of blows I knew I was against an opponent that I couldn't defeat. I wish I could tell you that I put up a brave battle but the truth is I don't think I lasted five minutes. Before I could even think of an alternate plan Ra's had plunged my own blade into my side and kicked me off the mountain edge." Oliver looked at his lap, he didn't want to see Felicity's face.

Felicity's heart sank. She didn't even want to think about Oliver being stranded on that mountain top bleeding and beaten. She reached out and put her hand on Oliver's knee. He looked up at her and Felicity quietly said, "I'm so sorry Oliver. I'm sorry I wasn't there. I'm sorry I let you go." Oliver shook his head, "No Felicity, that is my fault. I was blinded by my desire to protect Thea, so much so I couldn't properly evaluate the threat, the situation." Felicity's face scrunched up and Oliver knew the difficult questions were coming. She sat up straighter and said, "so, you fell off the mountain top. How did you survive that?" Oliver wasn't sure how he was going to answer this question without launching another Felicity rage.

"Well, I'm not exactly sure. I'm pretty confident that Ra's punctured my right lung. I was spitting blood and it was getting really hard to breathe. There was a rushing in my ears and I blacked out. When I woke up I was in a cave. There was a fire going, I could hear water nearby." Felicity could tell Oliver was not telling her everything and this time she wasn't going to respect his privacy. She never pushed him to share stories of the island but this was different and She wasn't going to tolerate him leaving out details. She looked over her glasses and said firmly, "You weren't alone were you?" He rubbed his fingers together and stood up. He walked over to the bookshelf, trying to avoid eye contact and finally said, "No, I wasn't alone." Felicity didn't say anything. She wanted to know the rest and Oliver knew it. He took a deep breath, turned to her and said, "Malcolm Merlyn was there."

Felicity's jaw fell open and she jumped up from the couch. Her fists clenched tight. Oliver stood still. He knew the anger was coming and he braced himself. She paced in front of her couch and then turned to him, "Are you telling me that the same bastard who sent you up there to begin with pulled you from the mountain top?" her voice was calm and even. Oliver had only heard her this angry once before – when he made her his administrative assistant. Oliver slowly nodded in agreement.

Felicity's voice jumped up an octave and she continued, "You are telling me that the same guy who blew up the Glades, that drugged your sister, that killed your father and that blackmailed you into fighting his battle is the same guy that saved you? And I'm guessing that this now makes you feel like you owe this guy something? Because let me tell you something Oliver you definitely DO NOT owe this guy ANYTHING and the least of all is your protection or loyalty. Honestly, what you owe Malcolm Merlyn is an arrow to the heart. If he even has a heart and I'm not even sure that he does!"

Oliver kept his voice steady and low, "Felicity, I'm not going to kill Thea's father. She only has two family members and honestly Malcolm has been far more reliable than me. I'm the one who has died on her – twice."

Felicity stepped closer to Oliver and placed her hands on his chest. He missed her touch so much his body ached. She looked up into his eyes, "Oliver, I admire your complete and absolute dedication to your family – I really do, but in this case you are wrong."

Oliver sighed. It was late and suddenly the comfort of having Felicity so close to him made him tired. He wrapped his arms around her waist and pulled her tight against him. "You may be right but I don't want to talk about it right now."

She suddenly realized that she was also painfully tired and she knew Oliver must be totally spent. She breathed in his smell, a combination of pine needles and campfire. She pulled back and looked up at him, "you should stay here tonight." Oliver didn't know what to say. He wanted to stay more than anything but he also didn't want to hurt Felicity – again. She looked right through him, "Oliver, I've gone almost two months thinking you were dead. If you think I'm going to let you out of my sight for even five seconds you are crazy. And no, you don't get to sleep on the couch. You are going to stay right next to me so I know nothing has happened to you." Oliver lifted her chin with his hand and kissed her softly. He pulled back and whispered, "You know I can't say no to you."


	3. Chapter 3

Felicity quickly fell asleep lying on Oliver's chest, her legs intertwined with his. Oliver tried to sleep but it was elusive. He lay there for a long time smelling her hair, listening to her breath, and feeling her heart beat. He never wanted this moment to end. He knew once the sun was up there would be more questions, more explanations – complications. Right now it all felt simple. Oliver gently moved Felicity's arm and slid out of the bed. He grabbed his jeans and pulled them back on over his boxers and quietly walked into the kitchen. He got a glass of water and stood at the living room window staring at the city. What would he say to Thea? How would he explain the situation with Malcolm to Diggle and Roy? And what about Felicity? He had never been so confused and dumbfounded by one woman. She cared about him but did she love him? Did she love him as much as he loved her? What about Ray Palmer? Were they still together?

"Planning on putting an arrow in somebody?" Oliver turned towards Felicity's voice. Her gold hair was messy and her eyes were puffy but he still thought she was the most beautiful thing he had ever seen. He shook his head and walked towards her, "no, just thinking about what tomorrow brings. More questions. More complications" Felicity's stomach lurched. She didn't know if she fell in the "questions" or the "complications" category of the day.

Felicity looked at her feet, scratched her forehead and said, "Oliver, you aren't the only one who has secrets to share." Oliver's eyes ever so slightly flinched. Most people wouldn't have noticed it but Felicity did. He sat on the couch and motioned for her to join him. She sat at the other end with her feet folded up underneath her. She took a deep breath and said quickly, "I told Thea about you. About the Arrow." Oliver's eyebrows shot up and he opened his mouth to say something but Felicity quickly jumped in. "Listen, I know it isn't my secret to share and I know you didn't want Thea involved but I didn't have a choice. You vanished AGAIN – for the third time – and I wasn't going to let her wonder about your whereabouts all over again. She needed to know you were dead and I didn't want her to think it was for doing something stupid. I wanted her to know what a hero her brother really was – is. And honestly, she took it really well. She actually felt like it explained a lot and she could forgive you for a lot of the pain because she realized you were trying to protect her."

Oliver stood up and walked back to the window turning his back towards Felicity. "Did you tell her about Malcolm and Ra's Al Ghul and Sara?" Felicity sat where she was and fidgeted with the hem of her pajama pants. "No, I just told her the parts I felt were absolutely necessary – including Roy helping us. I thought it might make it easier for her to reconcile with him." Oliver breathed deep through his nose and turned around. His mouth was set in a fine line. He didn't look happy. "Okay. I don't like her knowing but I understand why you did it." Felicity kept fidgeting. Oliver walked over to her and looked down. "There is more isn't there?" She met his eyes, bit her bottom lip and said quietly, "Yes, there is, and you might want to sit down for the rest of it." Oliver shook his head slowly trying to contain his emotions, "no, that is okay I will stand." Felicity got up from the couch and walked over to where Oliver was standing. She wanted to be able to see him eye to eye for this part. She took a deep breath and blurted out, "Thea has joined the team." She held her breath waiting for him to react. He breathed deep through his nose and started pacing the floor. His hands were clenched in fists and he was looking for something to hit. She nervously watched him pace for a couple of minutes and then she couldn't keep her words contained.

"Oliver, she isn't that little girl any more. Her father is dead, her mother was killed in front of her eyes and her brother has died – twice. She was tired of being a victim in her own life. You want to protect her, keep her innocent, but she lost that innocence years ago – before you even came back from the island. And you can't protect her. Honestly, she's been a great addition to the team. She's smart and small and can do things you guys can't. Plus, she's another girl in the Foundry, which I'm not going to lie has been really nice. There is only so much testosterone one girl can handle. Plus, I think it has been very healing for her to be part of the team – the family. She feels..."

Oliver stopped pacing and interrupted, "Stop talking Felicity. You don't know my sister." She flinched at his words. They stung and they were wrong.

"I know her a whole lot better than you do." Felicity knew that was going to hurt but he had it coming.

"Is that what you think? You think you know what is best for her? You think after spending two months with my sister you know Thea?"

"I spent two months crying over the same man with her and I've spent the last three years watching her trying to survive when everybody around her is telling her lies. Don't you think after all this time she deserves a life based in honesty and authenticity?"

He couldn't argue with the logic. Thea was almost 22 now and he had either been dead or lying to her since she was 10. He didn't exactly deserve the brother of the year award. He didn't like her being in danger, fighting bad guys, hurting people but if she was going to be doing these things anyway she might as well be doing them with Diggle or Roy.

The sun was starting to stream into the living room. Dawn was breaking and Oliver knew there were more problems and more secrets that would need to be sorted out. He didn't want to face the rest of the day with tension between he and Felicity. He needed to have her on his side. He needed to know they were okay.

He looked up at her and softened his expression, "I know telling you that 'I loved you' before leaving to fight Ra's Al Ghul was probably not the best timing. And I know you and Palmer have been dating. I didn't know if I was coming back and I just wanted you to know my real feelings. But, I also don't want to come between you and Palmer so if you want I will step back." He was surprised to see big tears well up in her eyes and she looked down at her feet. He could see the tears start to fall and he took several large steps, crossing the room and grabbing Felicity's hand. "Hey, I didn't mean to make you cry. I know the next couple of weeks are going to be hard and I just didn't want to face them without you and I being in an okay place."

Felicity looked up at his big deep eyes, sniffled and blurted out, "You are an idiot! First of all it was HORRIBLE timing to tell me moments before you left to die that you loved me. What exactly did you expect me to do? Jump into your arms? Especially after weeks and weeks of you giving me the cold shoulder and pushing me away. Then you drop this bombshell and take off. Yes, it was horrible timing."

Oliver winced and pursed his lips. She was right and he wasn't going to defend his actions. He started to open his mouth to say something, anything when she started all over again. "Secondly, there is no 'me and Palmer'. We went out and he kissed me but frankly there are only so many billionaire, vigilante types a girl can have in her life and one is enough." Oliver's eyebrows arched up in surprise and curiosity. Another secret Felicity would have to tell him later. "Finally, we" and she pointed between the two of them "are not normal. If you think this relationship is going to follow normal dating conventions well you are wrong. Our first date was blown up. You told me that you loved me before we _even_ had a second date and after tonight we've already slept together. I mean slept – together. You know in the same bed. AAAARGH! You know what I mean!" A smile crept across Oliver's face and it was warm and genuine and it made Felicity smile too. There it was – the Oliver Queen she fell in love with. She slipped her hand into his and intertwined their fingers. She stepped closer to him and looked up. "I will always be here Oliver. I made my choice a long time ago. So if you want to give this a shot then I'm all in. Just don't die on me again. I don't think I could handle it." The twinkle in Oliver's eyes returned and he leaned down and kissed her, wrapping his arm around her waist and pulling her tight against him. This time Oliver made sure his feelings were known. He slowly parted her lips and pressed passionately against her. Felicity responded by arching her back and holding him tighter. The kiss grew deeper and she let out a small moan, which made Oliver's heart race. They slowly drew apart; breathing in each other and hoping the moment could stay a bit longer. Her eyes fluttered open and he softly said, "There is a lot to talk about still and more secrets to share." She simply nodded and pulled away. Oliver pulled back and Felicity noticed his demeanor changing. "Okay, well I'm going to head to the Foundry. Why don't you get dressed and we will meet up there later today."

Felicity grimaced and said, "Just so you know there might be more than just Diggle, Roy and Thea downstairs when you get there." Oliver's eyebrows arched and he glared at Felicity. "What do you mean?"


	4. Chapter 4

Felicity didn't answer Oliver's question. The sunlight was flooding the living room and now in the harsh light of day everything did seem far more complicated. She cocked her head and pulled her smile to one side, "Oliver, how did you survive? How did Merlyn save you? He didn't even know you were dead until after we did." Oliver looked at his feet and shuffled a little bit. "It is a complicated answer and it might be best if I answer that question when the entire team is together, and by 'team' I mean you, me and Diggle. I'm not ready to tell Thea and Roy."

Oliver was standing shirtless and she noticed that there were no new scars. She had spent more than her share of time watching Oliver on the salmon ladder and she knew every scar on his body and there were no new marks. She suddenly realized she was blatantly staring at Oliver's shirtless chest and she began to flush; her cheeks warming. "Felicity, what are you thinking?" She shook her head, broke her stare and looked up at his eyes, "um, nothing. Nothing. I…I was um, noticing no new scars" A smile spread across Oliver's face, "I see. That's all you were thinking?" Felicity opened her mouth to offer a protest but nothing came out and her heart started to flutter and she really wanted this conversation to end. "Okay, I'm going to call Diggle, and hit the shower. If you want to wait, we can ride to the Foundry together." Oliver walked over to Felicity and kissed her forehead, "That sounds like a great plan."

The warm water washed over Felicity like a blanket. Oliver was alive and she couldn't help but be happy about that. She knew they were still facing challenges and difficult conversations but right now in the security of her shower she was giddily happy and she couldn't stop smiling. She couldn't help herself; she started singing.

Oliver stood outside the bathroom door, in Felicity's bedroom putting his shirt and shoes back on. Her walls were painted a warm yellow, and her bedroom was filled with stacks of books and tech magazines. He picked up a picture on her nightstand; it was of her and Oliver at his Mom's Christmas party. He let out a breath and smiled. He liked being in Felicity's room – it left him feeling warm, loved – normal. He was about to walk out into the family room to wait for her when he heard her singing in the shower. Yeah, he could get used to being here. He grabbed his coat and walked out of the bedroom.

Felicity typed the code into the keypad and opened the door to the Foundry. Oliver followed Felicity downstairs and his mouth fell open. She turned around, "yeah, we did some updating to the Foundry while you were gone. We had to. We had to make space for the other new team members." Oliver raised an eyebrow at the recognition that Felicity used the plural version of 'members' which concerned him. The workout mat was the same with Felicity's computers facing the salmon ladder. The evidence table and display dummies for Oliver and Roy's suits were still in place, even the spare for Barry but now the Foundry had expanded in the opposite direction with additional tables, racks of weapons – some weapons Oliver didn't even recognize. And then the number of display dummies – Oliver counted three additional dummies. He knew about Thea but who were the others? Before he had a chance to ask about them, the door to the Foundry clicked open and he heard Diggle's heavy footsteps on the stairs. Diggle walked halfway down the stairs, stopped suddenly and exclaimed, "Oliver Queen! Son of a bitch! I knew it!" and he ran down the stairs extending his arms to Oliver embracing him. "You scared me man! You really had me scared! I could not be happier to have you back. It's been rough."

Felicity looked between the two of them and couldn't believe how calm Diggle was regarding Oliver's surprise survival but then Diggle had experienced things she never had. He had seen the dark and unexplainable part of war and perhaps it was best that she didn't know about those things. They congregated around the steel evidence table and Diggle asked the obvious question – the one Felicity had been waiting for Oliver to answer since she saw him. "So, how did you survive?"


	5. Chapter 5

**_Author's Note: So this is my first fan fiction writing. I wish I knew how many chapters this is going to be but I really don't know. I just want to play out the idea of the Lazarus Pit – I like to write true to character so let me know if you think I've written too far off course. And thanks for all the positive feedback – I'm blushing._**

Oliver steadied himself and began, "I did die. That is the simple answer. Ra's Al Ghul drove a large scimitar into my chest" and he pointed where the blade entered "I vaguely remember him saying a blessing over me and then everything went dark. When I woke up I was in a cave. It was cold, although there was a fire nearby. The person sitting next to me was Malcolm Merlyn." Oliver paused knowing that Diggle would need to process that idea, much like Felicity.

Diggle stepped back from the table, covered his face with his hands and started walking in circles. "You have got to be kidding me? Are you serious? Are you seriously telling me that Malcolm Merlyn pulled you from the mountain? Cause we looked man. Felicity and I – did she tell you that? We covered that mountain top looking for your body and we could not find you!" Oliver continued, "There is a phenomena that some people know about called the Lazarus Pit." Oliver paused looking to see if there was any flicker of recognition and saw Felicity's eyebrows arch up in surprise, "You mean like St. Lazarus? Like from the bible? Like Jesus raising the dead kind of thing?" and this time it is Diggle who raises his eyebrows at Felicity, "What? I may be Jewish but I know about Lazarus. Doesn't everybody?" and Diggle gives her a look that most clearly indicates that no, not everybody. Oliver sighs, and continues, "Yes, like rising from the dead. Apparently, these pits really exist and as long as the person is placed in the water within four days of their death, with the proper rites being read they can be 'raised''. Silence fell between the three of them. "Merlyn carried me to one of the pits – a pit that he learned about while training with the League of Assassins. He let me sit in the water and then stayed with me until I was conscious again."

Diggle turned away and rubbed his forehead, "So for two months you sat in a pit of water with Merlyn playing nursemaid?" Even Oliver had to admit that the whole thing didn't sound very legitimate. Oliver cocked his head to one side and said, "Well, that's where things are fuzzy. I'm not really sure. I had dreams – or perhaps hallucinations? I don't really know. In my mind I was only out for about two days but clearly it was longer. I woke up in that cave but I was only awake for a day and then I was out again and the next time I woke up I was in Starling City." Felicity crossed her arms and started pacing – processing. Her eyes were darting and Oliver could hear her mind churn. "Oliver, none of this adds up. Honestly, the most believable part of your story is the pit itself. Why would Merlyn help you? What happened to you while you were out? What parts don't you remember? None of it makes sense." Diggle nodded, "yeah man, I agree with Felicity something seems weird about this and it isn't the part about you rising up from the dead." Oliver agreed, "I know and it is the reason why I only wanted to tell the two of you. I don't think we should tell anybody I'm back until we figure some of this out. I will need to hide out somewhere."

"Well you can't stay in the Foundry there are too many people in and out now" Diggle commented.

"Yeah, about that" and Oliver cocked his head and looked at Felicity "anybody want to tell me about the three additional suits? Is there anybody in Starling City left who DOESN'T know who I am?"

Felicity mumbled, "No worries, you have still slept with more women in this city than know about your secret identity." Oliver flared his nostrils and turned to Diggle, "Okay, which one of you guys is going to tell me who else has joined the team besides Thea?" Diggle decided it was best to tell him straight out instead of prolonging the inevitable, "Laurel and Palmer."

Oliver punched the steel table and started pacing the floor, his anger building. "Palmer? What the hell is Palmer doing down here?" and with that he glared at Felicity. She refused to look away, confident in the fact that she had done nothing wrong. "Listen man, Felicity had nothing to do with it. The guy had already built his own suit and everything and the truth is he's been a huge help in keeping this city safe. He's also developed some great tech for us. He and Felicity have worked hard to really improve our team" Oliver threw a piercing stare at Felicity and stormed out of the Foundry.

Silence hung in the air between Diggle and Felicity for several moments and then Diggle let out a deep sigh, shook his head and said, "He sure took that well." Felicity turned on her heels and sat down at her desk. She wasn't going to chase after him. She had nothing to hide and she knew he needed time to cool down. Besides, she needed to start tracking down Merlyn. Diggle watched Felicity turn towards her computers and felt the tension between her and Oliver. His heart ached for them both. He had never seen two people who loved each other so much and yet were incapable of talking to each other. Well, maybe he and Lyla in the early years. "What do you think about his story? You believe it?" Felicity turned around in her chair and looked up at Diggle, "I don't know. Something happened on that mountain and Merlyn was there but like I said it doesn't make sense and I'm really worried about what they might have done to him while he was 'out' and why aren't there any new scars?" Diggle raised his eyebrows and stared at her, "What? He came to my apartment first." Diggle kept staring at her. "Oh. OH! No, no, no, no. Nothing like that. He, um, he spent the night. NO! I mean, he slept there. I mean, I saw him without his shirt. Oh forget it." And with flushed cheeks Felicity turned back to her computers.

Oliver stormed outside of the Foundry and let the cold air wash over him. His head was going in a hundred directions and he couldn't figure out what thoughts were honest and valid and which were the results of being gone for two months. He was furious about Palmer being in the Foundry and yet his anger seemed disproportionate. Was it jealousy? Had Felicity told him the truth about nothing going on between he and Palmer? Why _did_ Merlyn save him? He couldn't make heads or tails of the last eight weeks and it was making him question everything. There was only one place he knew would be safe for him and he was hoping Felicity wouldn't be too upset about having a temporary roommate. He spent the rest of the afternoon observing the city from rooftops. He busted a lock on Felicity's bedroom window and let himself into her apartment. He headed to the family room and before he knew it he had fallen asleep on her couch.

Felicity spent the afternoon researching the Lazarus Pit and trying to track down the whereabouts of Malcolm Merlyn. It didn't make sense that he would send Oliver to his death only to then save him. It was a puzzle that needed solving and she couldn't let it lay. She slipped out of the Foundry early making excuses to the rest of the team about having a migraine and needing some sleep. In reality she knew that Oliver and her needed to talk and not just about Palmer.


	6. Chapter 6

**_Author's Note: I know this story seems to be moving slowly but I have some big twists and turns planned and that takes time to unravel. Consider this something to keep you busy until the hiatus is over. _**

Felicity unlocked her apartment door, walked in and clicked on the lamp next to the entry. She let out a small gasp at the sight of a man asleep on her couch but quickly realized it was Oliver. The apartment was cold and she gave a quick shiver and walked across the room to check the thermostat. When she turned around she admired Oliver's vulnerability as he slept soundly on her couch. His arm tucked under his head, his knees bent so he would even fit on the couch. Felicity walked over and gently nudged Oliver's shoulder. He quickly grabbed her wrist and pinned her to the ground before he realized who she was. She let out a shriek and then yelled, "Oliver! It's me! You're OK!" He let go of her wrist and stumbled backwards onto the ground. His face swollen from sleep and his eyes still fuzzy and in a hoarse voice he said, "I'm sorry. I'm so sorry. You startled me." She stood up rubbing her wrist and then looked down at Oliver and knew how bad he felt. She extended a hand to help him stand on his feet. She looked into his blue eyes and saw the sadness and confusion that seemed to be consuming him. "Oliver, we need to talk." And she gestured for the two of them to sit on the couch. Felicity reached over and turned on a couple of more lights and grabbed a blanket from the back of the couch. She kicked her heels off and tucked her feet under her legs and looked at him, really looked at him. "The reason why 'we' work" and she gestured between the two of them, "is because you and I have never kept secrets from each other. We haven't shared our entire life stories, but we have never lied to each other. I don't want to start doing that now." Oliver nodded in agreement. Felicity continued, "I think we both have questions we would like answered truthfully and so let's take a moment and ask them. Why don't you go first."

Oliver paused, looked down at his lap and then back up again, "I need to know what really happened with you and Palmer. I need to know why you aren't with him." She took a deep breath and began, "After our disastrous first date and you making it abundantly clear again and again and again that you didn't want to have anybody in your life I was hurt. I don't think I've ever felt more alone. Then Sara died and you didn't react and there was so much pain in my life and the only person who seemed to notice how much I was hurting was Ray." Oliver felt the sting of her words. He knew they were honest and the truth and that made them even more painful. Felicity paused and then continued, "I took the job at Palmer Technologies to distract me from Sara but then Ray respected my abilities and I started to really like my job and he was supportive of all my ideas and it felt good to be appreciated by somebody – by anybody." Felicity looked away she didn't want to see how much that hurt Oliver. "When he asked me to dinner I wasn't thinking of it as anything more than a work dinner and when I told you about it, I was hoping you were going to tell me not to go but you didn't – so I went. When he kissed me I was surprised. I won't lie, I considered pursuing things with Ray but then he showed me his A.T.O.M. suit and told me he wanted my help in saving the city." Oliver stood up and walked to the living room window. His stomach was in knots and he couldn't stand listening too much longer. Felicity stayed on the couch and continued her story, "I realized that I didn't care about Ray, not totally, I was attracted to the parts that reminded me of you and when I came to that realization my heart broke all over again." Oliver walked over to the couch and sat down and met Felicity's blue eyes. She sighed and said, "He's a good man Oliver. He is honest and trustworthy and he really does care about this city." Oliver was surprised that she was still not answering the most important question, "then why aren't you with him?" Felicity reached over and squeezed Oliver's hand, "because, I'm in love with _you_." That was the first time she had ever said that to Oliver and the warmth of her words covered him. He met her stare and his heart fluttered, "but why? Why would you? I've put you in danger again, and again. I've hurt you countless times not to mention that I can be a pretty insensitive boss." Felicity giggled and a smile crept across her face, "because you believe in me. You believed in me when nobody else did – when I didn't believe in myself. You said once that when you met me you saw me as a 'person' well I felt that. You didn't see a dumb blonde or nameless IT person who could help you with your spam filter. No, you saw me as a partner, somebody who could help you save the city, somebody who was brave and true and courageous. You saw those things in me before I saw them in myself. You pulled me out of the shadows of my own life. You allowed me to see myself not as the daughter of a cocktail waitress or the pretty blonde in the IT department but a complete person capable of great things. You helped me become the best version of myself and that's why I love you."

Silence fell between them for just a moment and then Oliver leaned forward and kissed Felicity hard on the mouth pushing her back against the couch. She wrapped her arms around his neck and her legs around his. The warmth of his body crushing hers, one hand in her hair and the other wrapped around her waist pulling her tight against him. They embraced not out of passion but out of desperate appreciation that they found each other; A sense of gratitude that at least they were facing this scary world together and not alone. Felicity gently pushed Oliver up and away from her and smiled pressing her forehead against his; "it's my turn now".

Oliver sat up, a bit flushed but feeling more stable and stronger, ready to face what came next. She sat up straight, looked him dead in the eye and said, "You need to tell me everything that happened on that mountain top." The look on Oliver's face quickly changed from contentment to confusion. His shoulders fell down and he crumpled back into the couch and shook his head. He looked her in the eyes and said, "I honestly don't know. I thought I knew until I started telling you and Diggle and then I realized I had more holes in my memories then I thought and now I'm doubting everything." He reached over and grabbed her hands turning his body so he was facing her more completely, "I need you to believe me – I need to know that you still trust me." The look in his eyes was pleading and her heart ached for him. He looked scared and confused. Her voice was small but strong, "yes, of course I do. But I'm worried. I don't understand what happened and I don't think you know and that is even more worrisome." He covered his face with his hands and groaned. It had been a long time since he felt this out of control of his own life, his own destiny and he didn't like the feeling.

Felicity jumped off the couch and started rummaging through her end table and pulled out a small notebook and handed it to Oliver. "Write all the memories down – every dream, every memory, every thought. It's a technique I learned about in college, sometimes the more you write your dreams down the more vivid they become. I know vivid dreams aren't exactly fun for you but it might help us piece together some clues. In the meantime I'm going to talk to Thea about her Dad." He smiled up at Felicity grateful that she believed him and was putting together a plan. She returned the smile and said, "I'm starving. You want some sushi? I'll order." And she walked towards the kitchen. Oliver had no idea how he got so lucky to have such a remarkable woman supporting him but he was really glad she was there.


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter 7

**_Author's Note: shorter chapter but an important one. Leaving some clues as to what really happened to Oliver on that mountaintop. And next chapter..Felicity & Thea and Felicity & Diggle. _**

Felicity's alarm went off but she was already awake. She was busy trying to solve Oliver's memory problem and she had already formulated several ideas. She smelled coffee and guessed that Oliver was already awake. They had spent the night listening to each other breathe, neither one being able to fully relax nor fall asleep. An awkward intimacy and developed between them and with everything else going on Felicity just didn't have the energy to sort it out. They were in something more than friendship but not yet definable.

She hopped in the shower and got dressed for work. She couldn't spend today helping him sort out his memories, she had a job, that paid the rent and she needed to be there. She walked into the kitchen to find Oliver sitting at the table writing diligently into the notebook she had given him. He looked at her, scanning from bottom to top, her black pencil skirt and brightly colored blouse, with her tightly secured ponytail was classic Felicity and it made him smile, "Good morning, I made coffee." She walked over and poured herself a cup and asked, "Well, any luck with the notebook?" He got up and walked over to stand next to her, "Actually, yeah. I realized that I had made the assumption that it was Malcolm Merlyn and in my head I was certain of it, but after sleeping on it I realized it was a black archer. I guess my brain easily replaced one for the other. I suppose it could still be Merlyn, but now I'm not as certain." Felicity nodded and squished her lips to one side in thought, "hmm, well, that's a good start. I have some things to do at work but I'm hoping to catch up with Thea at lunch. I'll let you know if I find anything out." She finished her coffee, leaving the cup in the sink, grabbed her keys and bag and headed for the door. "Hey," Oliver called after her. He took a couple large strides across the room and gathered her up in his arms, "Were you really going to leave for work without a kiss goodbye?" Felicity's cheeks blushed as she yielded to his embrace. He gave her a soft lingering kiss, smiled and said; "I'll see you tonight." She walked out the door still feeling so uncomfortable with the new place she and Oliver found themselves.

Amanda Waller did not wait – for _anybody_. She stood stiffly in the empty warehouse with her dark grey suit, her hair tightly pulled back checking her watch every ten seconds. Her two large bodyguards standing close by. She was just about to turn to leave when she heard soft footsteps. "He's been returned, as promised." Waller turned around to greet Nyssa – from the League of Assassins – her bow at the ready and her eyes piercing, meeting Waller's steady glare. Waller was the first to break eye contact as she took steps closer to Nyssa. "Good. Does he remember anything?" Nyssa shook her head, "No. Well, bits and pieces and really only the parts we want him too. We left him outside of the girl's house. He is staying there for now. I suspect he will lay low for awhile." Waller nodded in agreement, "Is there any chance his memories might come back?" Nyssa snorted as if the idea was absurd, "No. One released memory would release all of them and he doesn't want to remember the island. He will never let go of that control." Waller seemed pleased and a smile crept slowly across her face, "Excellent. So, are we settled then? The League is satisfied? The debt fulfilled?" Nyssa began to walk away but hollered back, "Yes, the League is content." And with that she disappeared into darkness.


	8. Chapter 8

_**Author's Note: More Olicity stuff next chapter - promise**_

Felicity had so much to do at work that she didn't even have time to allow her mind to wander onto Oliver. Her phone was ringing off the hook and there was a constant stream of people in and out of her office. She was about to go to a meeting when she heard her glass doors open and without even looking up she shouted, "I know you need me but I can't help you right now." And then she heard the deep chuckle of John Diggle. She looked up from her desk and smiled, "John! I'm so sorry. It has been a crazy day. I always have time for you, sit down." Diggle walked in front of her desk and collapsed into one of her chairs still smiling. He loved seeing Felicity in the big office, with the assistant. She deserved it. It made him feel proud of his sweet friend. He cleared his throat, leaned forward and said, "Well, do you believe him?" She looked straight at Diggle and said, "Yes I do. I believe that he is telling us what he thinks the truth is, the problem is that he doesn't really know the truth."

"Things don't add up Felicity and I don't trust Merlyn or the League AT ALL."

She let out a snort, "yeah, you and me both."

"How are YOU doing? How are you two doing together?"

She let out a huge sigh and collapsed back in her chair, "I don't know. For the first time in – ever – I think he's scared. He doesn't know what he did or what happened and that frightens him."

"And you? How are you doing?"

She started to giggle, "I'm doing great. I mean he's alive Digg! He's alive! And he loves me. As weird as it is to have him in my apartment and for us to suddenly be something together I'm happy. Is that wrong?"

A huge smile came across Diggle's face, "No Felicity, it isn't wrong at all." He pressed his hands on his knees and stood up. "Okay, well I will let you get back to work. I'm going to ask Lyla about Merlyn and I'll meet you back at the Foundry." And with that he walked out of Felicity's office.

Oliver sat on the floor of Felicity's apartment and lit a single candle. He knew the memories were in there he just needed to find them. Using a technique he learned in Hong Kong he started to breath, relax and stare at the candle. What happened to him? What did he do during those two months? His heartbeat steadied. He closed his eyes and focused on the sound of his own breath. What happened? He remembered the absolute chill on top of the mountain. He grabbed the two scimitars. He felt the burn of the blade going through him and the acknowledgement that this was the end. Felicity, he was thinking of Felicity. Darkness. The sound of fire, water churning, the ground is cold. His head hurts but his side doesn't. Why doesn't it hurt? He suddenly realizes he isn't alone and, his eyes fly open. The figure is dressed all in black hunched over the fire. There is a bow and quiver slung around his back. His frame seems tall but from where Oliver is lying it is hard to tell. He hears Oliver's body shift and he turns around, "You're awake. That is good." He walks closer to Oliver and he realizes he's looking into Maseo's eyes. Oliver jumps up out of his meditation and starts looking for his phone. He has to call Felicity right now.

Felicity walked into the small French bistro and spotted Thea right away. Her short dark hair, big smile and striking eyes made her hard to miss. Thea waves her over and Felicity waves in acknowledgement. The bistro is nice but small which is why Felicity chose it, she wanted a more private setting for their lunch. Felicity sat down and smiled up at Thea, "how are you doing?" Thea smiled and looked at Felicity appraisingly, "You look good. Like really good." Felicity's cheeks blush and she busies herself with the menu and looks down, "yeah, I've been sleeping better." A smile slowly spreads across Thea's face and she leans back in her seat, "What's his name?" Felicity's eyes shoot up, "huh? What?"

"Oh, c'mon! The bounce in your step, flush in your cheek. Yeah, there is a guy involved. What is his name?"

"I'm not really in a position to share that information at the moment."

"What the hell does that mean?"

"It means that I didn't ask you to lunch to discuss my love life."

"Well, that may be the case but you are going to anyway. Besides, I'm glad you've moved on from Oliver."

Felicity felt guilty for not telling Thea the truth. Not only had Felicity not moved on from Oliver, she was spending her nights with him.

"Yes, well, about that. Diggle and I think we may have a lead on what happened to Oliver but it involves your Dad. You haven't talked with him recently have you?

"My Dad? Why would my Dad be involved? And no, I haven't talked to him in about two weeks."

"Don't get your hopes up Thea, it's sort of a long shot but it would be great if Diggle and I could talk to him. If you could reach out to him that would be great."

Thea looked at Felicity intently trying to read her face. She wasn't being told the whole truth and she knew it, but now wasn't the time to press for more information. "Sure, I'll try calling him today. I'll let you know if I hear anything". Felicity picked her menu back up, "Great. Let's order, I'm hungry." Felicity's phone silently buzzed in her purse, again and again. Oliver couldn't figure out why she wasn't picking up.


	9. Chapter 9

Felicity had arranged for she and Diggle to meet Oliver at her apartment. She felt it was best to meet there before they take everything to the team. Diggle brought carry out and the three of them huddled around Felicity's small dining room table. She grabbed her tablet and started, "I spent the afternoon researching the Lazarus Pit and discovered several things. It is actually pretty cool. There has been a lot written about it and if I wasn't, you know, personally invested in it…" Oliver cocked his eyebrow at her with an implied "stay focused" message. Felicity cleared her throat and continued, "Anyway, there are multiple pits. Nobody really knows how many because in theory they don't actually exist. They are supposedly mythical." Felicity gestured towards Oliver and said, "Obviously they are real. The pits can be used once and have some interesting side effects; like super human strength, and insanity."

Oliver's eyes got huge and he exclaimed, "INSANITY? SUPER HUMAN STRENGTH? Are these long lasting effects?"

"Supposedly short term but since the whole idea is 'mythical' I guess I don't know for sure. I thought we might be able to call Star Labs and have them examine you. I'm sure Caitlyn could let us know if there are any long term effects."

Oliver barked, "No. I'm not ready to involve them – especially with Dr. Wells there. I'm just not sure he should know about a Lazarus pit." Felicity couldn't help but agree.

"I also had lunch with Thea today." And Felicity briefly blushed thinking about Thea's observations. "She hasn't heard from her Dad in several weeks but said she would reach out."

Oliver turned to Diggle, "Any word from Lyla? You think Argus is involved?"

Diggle shook his head, "I'm not sure. Lyla said for me to drop it and that they weren't involved but if she says 'drop it' it usually means there is something there for me to hold on to."

Oliver reached from the small table over to the kitchen counter and grabbed his notebook that Felicity gave him, "Well I spent some time mining for memories and I did make a surprising revelation. It wasn't Merlyn in the cave but a friend of mine from Hong Kong – Maseo – he is now a member of the League".

Felicity chewed on her bottom lip and in a soft voice said, "Oliver, why would the League kill you and then save you? That doesn't make sense." Silence fell between the three of them for a while.

Diggle rubbed his forehead "What did they do with you for the two months that you were 'insane' and super strong?"

Oliver's eyes grew dark, "Yeah, I'd like to know that too. And who is 'they'"

Diggle left at around 10:00 leaving Oliver and Felicity tired, worried and confused. Felicity locked the door, kicked off her heels and collapsed on the couch next to Oliver. He wrapped his arm around her shoulders and pulled her close. He kissed the top of her head, "Are _you_ okay?"

Felicity pulled back and sat up so she could look at him, "Well in a matter of a week I've gone from thinking the man I was in love with was dead, to him being alive, to him living with me. So yeah, it has been kind of a whirlwind and I'm not sure my heart, my head and everything in between is all on the same page." Oliver held her fingers. It had been so long since he felt this loved and no matter what he did he was worried that it was wrong. His voice was weak when he finally spoke, "Felicity, I didn't mean to put you through all of this. When I fell into your car that night, I was just thinking how to stay alive and that you were the only person I knew that could help me. When you stayed and continued to help Diggle and I you became the partner I didn't know I needed and it wasn't until Barry walked into the office that day that I realized that I was falling in love with you. I know our relationship is not conventional but I also don't want to scare you or make you uncomfortable." Felicity crawled into Oliver's lap and wrapped her arms around his shoulders, burying her face in his neck. She breathed him in and sat there in silence just feeling his chest rise and lower. He didn't know what to think. Why was it so easy for Felicity to read him but he never knew what she was thinking? Why was she always a mystery to him?

Felicity finally pulled back and looked at him intently, "I love you Oliver Queen and as crazy as this week has been it has also been the happiest week ever."

"What is the 'but' Felicity? You are holding something back."

Her cheeks flushed and he pressed her "C'mon, tell me what it is."

She let out a big sigh, "I'm not a tall, leggy, model, or an awesomely, smart, leggy lawyer. I mean I'm smart. I know I'm smart. I have a degree from MIT. They don't exactly hand those out on the street corner. Not that I haven't dated, because I have I mean I have the stalker list to prove it, it's just that I haven't dated like _you_ have dated and so I guess I'm just not sure what dating a billionaire playboy is like or what is expected from me? Or if we are really dating. I mean I don't really know and I'm not trying to label things." He cupped her face in his hand and gently pressed his lips to hers. He pulled back with gentleness in his eyes that made Felicity's heart warm.

Oliver's voice was tender, "First of all, I'm no longer a billionaire, more like a millionaire. Secondly, I'm definitely no longer a playboy since I haven't had a date in over a year." He rubbed his hand up her legs feeling the softness of her skin and dancing dangerously close inside her thighs, "and as for the leggy part," and he arched his eyebrow looking at her with a desire in his eyes she had never seen before, "well, I think your legs are quite nice." Felicity's body melted as he leaned into her and passionately kissed her, his tongue exploring her mouth with desire. Her whole body tingled as his hands slid up her skirt. He squeezed her thigh and she moaned slightly. He shifted his body to slide on top of her, and he started peppering kisses down her neck when she gently pushed him away.

"I can't move this fast Oliver. I love you, I really do, but this week has been an emotional whirlwind for me and I don't want to make it even worse. I'm feeling a little unsteady on my emotional feet. Please tell me you understand."

Oliver knitted his eyebrows together in concern and brushed her cheek with his fingers, "of course I understand. And you're right; it has been a rather unusual week for both of us. And I love you too Ms. Felicity Smoak." Oliver stood up and grabbed Felicity's hand pulling her to standing. "It is way past your bedtime. You have to go to work tomorrow. So come on, I'll tuck you in." And with that Oliver led Felicity into her bedroom.

Thea drove to an older, deserted part of the Glades. She had stopped several times to make sure she wasn't being followed. The warehouse looked abandoned from the outside but inside a portion of it had been transformed into a luxurious studio apartment and office; Malcolm Merlyn's hideout. Thea walked up to the entrance and noticed that the keypad had been ripped out of the steel wall and what was left was a gaping hole. She tensed her body knowing that something was horribly wrong. She pushed the door open to find the normally neat apartment filled with white furniture destroyed. Couches flipped over, glass on the floor, boot marks all over the floor. The place looked like it had been destroyed and smelled like something was rotting. Thea covered her mouth and nose with her t-shirt and her eyes burned with the stench. Thea started running through the rooms yelling for her Dad. She ran into the bedroom where she found her Dad; he had three arrows in his chest and one driven through his skull. Bile filled Thea's mouth as the stench of the body was overwhelming. He had been dead for a while – maybe as much as a week. She forced herself to walk forward and examine the arrows. They were green.


	10. Chapter 10

Felicity stretched awake and a smile immediately spread across her face. She could smell coffee in the kitchen and heard Oliver in the shower. How did this happen? In a matter of a week her life had gone from sad and desperate to full of love and joy. She couldn't believe it was real. The water shut off and in a minute Oliver walked out of the bathroom with a towel swung across his hips and a smile etched into his face. He leaned down to kiss Felicity on the forehead, "Good Morning."

Felicity purred, "Hey you." Their eyes locked for just a moment and then Oliver walked over to the floor where his duffle bag was tossed, digging for clothes for the day.

Felicity propped herself up on the bed, "Why don't I clear some drawers out for you? You know, so you have a place to keep your stuff."

Oliver picked up some jeans and a button down shirt and looked suspiciously at her, "Are you asking me to move in with you? Because that seems rather contradictory to what you were saying last night."

Felicity's cheeks flushed, "Yeah, I know. I just like you being here. It makes me feel safe and it has been a really long time since I've had that feeling."

Oliver started walking back to the bathroom, "As much as I love staying here Felicity, I'm not sure 'officially' moving in together is a good idea; at least not now. Let's get my memories sorted out before we start picking out furniture." And with that he disappeared back into the bathroom.

Felicity felt foolish and was scolding herself silently for acting in a way that she felt was emotional, illogical and not at all what she expected from a girl with a degree from MIT. She got out of bed and was pulling clothes together when Oliver reemerged from the bathroom. He stopped before leaving the bedroom and turned to face her, "Listen, I really do like waking up next to you but I also don't want to mess this up and I think you actually made a good point last night. I've only been back from the dead for a week and I don't plan on dying again – at least anytime soon – so lets take our time" Felicity looked into his blue eyes and saw the care and caution within them. She gently kissed Oliver and quietly said, "I agree. Thank you…I don't know for what exactly, but thank you." Oliver smiled and walked back out to the kitchen.

Felicity had barely settled in to her workday when her phone started buzzing with text messages – all from Thea.

"I need to talk to you NOW!"

"Meet me at the Foundry NOW!"

"Bring Diggle NOW!"

"NOW! NOW! NOW!"

"Roy already here. NOW!"

Felicity's heart sank. Something that urgent couldn't possibly be good. She ran out of her office and texted Diggle on the way. What did Thea find out? What had happened?

Her heels tapped loudly as she ran down the stairs of the Foundry and found Diggle, Roy and Thea all standing around the steel evidence table. She approached the table and her heart sunk – sitting on the table was an arrow, a green arrow, and a used arrow. Diggle and Felicity exchanged knowing glances as Felicity asked, "What is this? What is this all about?"

Thea cocked her hips to one side and looked at Felicity with piercing eyes, "I don't know. Is there something you want to tell me? Like why Oliver would kill my father? And where the hell he is?"

Felicity gingerly placed her bag on her seat, collected her thoughts and turned around. "Yes Thea, Oliver is alive. I just found out about six days ago and I didn't tell you because his memory is rather patchy and he doesn't really know what happened to him for the past two months."

Thea slammed her fists on the table and backed away shaking her head. "Who the hell gave you the right to not tell me my brother is alive? And why the hell would he kill Malcolm?" Thea was trembling and her voice was getting louder. Felicity knew she would need to stay in control of her own emotions if this conversation was going to end well.

"I don't know anything about Malcolm being dead or Oliver killing him and frankly Thea it doesn't make sense. He's been protecting Malcolm from the League of Assassins for months now." Felicity swore at herself internally. She didn't mean to let that last part slip.

Thea slammed her fists on the steel table and for a moment she looked just like Oliver. "DOES ANYBODY EVER TELL ME THE TRUTH ABOUT ANYTHING?" and with that she stormed out of the Foundry.

Roy looked at Diggle with tears in his eyes and quietly asked, "Oliver is alive?"

Diggle nodded in affirmation, "Yeah man he is, but he is a little turned upside down at the moment. He doesn't quite know what happened to him for the past two months."

Felicity picked up her phone and texted Oliver, "You better get to the Foundry. There is somebody here who needs to talk to you. And there is something you need to explain. "


	11. Chapter 11

**_Author's Note: I totally didn't intend for this to be so long but here it is. I think I have about another 3-4 chapters left to write before this is done. Thanks for sticking with me guys! And thanks for all the "follows" and reviews. Y'all are sweet (so says this Texan)_**

Oliver took a deep breath and headed down the stairs to the Foundry. Roy took a couple of quick steps closing the distance and embraced Oliver. "Dude, you scared the shit out of me. I wasn't sure I could do this all by myself."

Oliver smacked him on the back, "well, it looks like you did just fine without me. As I knew you would." He was genuinely proud of Roy and he hoped it showed on his face. He looked up and locked eyes with Felicity, who appeared a little shaken up. "So, what is going on?"

Felicity cocked her head to one side and held up the arrow, "Well, according to Thea you shot and killed Malcolm Merlyn. Oh, and she knows you're alive and she isn't happy about it at all."

Oliver walked over to the evidence table and looked at the arrow, "Is this mine?"

Felicity shook her head and turned to her computer, "No, this arrow is made of a different composite material and all of your arrowheads are hand made and this arrow is machine made. So no, it isn't your arrow but somebody went through a lot of effort to make it look like you."

Diggle picked up from there, "Also, Merlyn's place was trashed – like super human strength trashed – holes punched through steel walls, furniture ripped in half, it was insane. Not to mention that the fatal blow was not the three arrows in his chest but the arrow that was driven through his skull – by hand." Diggle arched an eyebrow at Oliver.

Roy noticed the seemingly knowing glances being exchanged between Diggle, Felicity and Oliver, "What? What is it that I don't know?"

Felicity turned to Roy, "Oliver survived the mountain top by being placed in a Lazarus Pit – a pool of water that restores health and life. Unfortunately the pit has some crazy side effects like insanity and super human strength"

Roy's eyes bulged open, "Wait, are you telling me that Oliver was raised from the dead by swimming in some magical pool that makes him like a zombie but also makes him crazy?"

Oliver tightened his lips together into a thin line, "uh-huh"

Roy's eyebrows arched up, "So, you are literally a zombie. Are you going to eat my brains or something? Do I need to like drive a steel stake through your head or something?"

Felicity piped up, "No, the steel stake is for vampires and Oliver isn't really a zombie because a zombie technically is not conscious and Oliver is obviously talking and walking just fine."

Roy corrected, "I'm pretty sure zombies can walk – and don't they talk? I thought they could talk."

Oliver raised his voice, "OKAY, we have clearly determined that I am neither a zombie nor a vampire. Now then, where is Thea? And Felicity have you gotten a trace on the materials for the arrows?"

Felicity bit her lip, "I traced Thea's phone and she seems to be hanging out at the old Queen mansion. And yes, I'm working on the origin of the arrow materials and I will let you know when I find something."

Oliver turned on his heels and headed out the door in search of Thea. Roy looked back to Felicity, "Dude, I seriously think he's a zombie."

Oliver pulled his bike up to the old Queen mansion. The gravel crunched under his tires, but otherwise it was deathly quiet. He hopped off the bike, placed his helmet on the seat and headed towards the backyard. He knew where he would find Thea – at the family graveyards in the back.

He didn't bother being quiet as he approached her; he figured she already knew he would be coming. She was looking at their mother's grave her shoulders slumped. As he got closer she spun around and glared at him; her words coming out like poison, "I should have known you weren't really dead. You never actually die, do you? You just abandon your family on occasion. And then when you do magically show up it is only so you can kill the only other person I have as family. Or did you? I don't even know. And I don't know because the only thing that ever comes out of your mouth is lies. You have managed to poison every relationship I have ever had with your deceptions. I'm sick of it Oliver."

The words hurt but Oliver knew he deserved it. For as much as he tried to protect Thea he just ended up doing more damage to their relationship. Oliver pressed his lips together tight and did the best he could to explain, "I'm sorry. I know that this might be too little too late but I truly am sorry. Everything I did, I did because I was trying to protect you, to keep you safe. When I came back from the island everything was turned upside down and I desperately wanted to be the same brother you had before I left but I couldn't do it – I couldn't even fake it." He shuffled his feet and looked at the grass. He was nudging some half-melted snow with his black boot. "I'm glad Felicity told you about the Foundry and although at first I wasn't happy about you being part of the crusade it actually has sort of grown on me. It will be nice to work with my sister and have you close."

Thea's arms were crossed and she showed no signs of budging or her anger ebbing. Oliver could feel her slipping away and he grew desperate. He took a deep breath and tried again, "I didn't kill Malcolm. At least I don't think I did. I was stabbed and I think I died but I have very few memories of the last two months and that is what Felicity and Diggle are trying to help me recapture and piece together. I could use your help."

Thea moved her arms to her hips, "Why didn't you tell me you had come back? Why did I have to find it out from Felicity?"

Oliver blushed and he fought the smile that was trying to find its way onto his face, "She knew where I had gone and what happened. I wasn't sure you knew. I also had some things that I had to resolve with her first – things that had preoccupied me when I thought I was dying."

Thea snorted, "You are in love with her aren't you?" and a wave of recognition swept over her face. "THE LUNCH? I told Felicity that I could tell she had a man and she said she _couldn't_ tell me the name but not that she _wouldn't_ tell me. Oh My God! Are you sleeping at her place?"

Oliver tried to hide his smile with his hand and looked away in guilt.

Thea's eyes got huge, "Oh My God! You are totally sleeping at her place. Are you guys living together? Oliver, this is huge – huge!"

Oliver shook his head, "No, we're not living together and yes, I'm in love with her."

Thea smiled, "Wow."

Silence fell between them and they both glanced at their mother's grave. Oliver reached out and grabbed Thea's hand; looking at her pleadingly, "Thea, I can't do life without you. I can't fight this crusade without you. I can't figure out the past two months without you. I'm sorry I've lied to you but please know that it is because I love you. Please Thea, please don't walk away from me now."

Thea wrapped her arms around his waist and hugged him. "You're an ass, but you are still my brother and I'm very happy to have you back – AGAIN"

Oliver's phone started to buzz and he looked down to read the text from Felicity,

"Arrows were bought at "The Sport Hut" in the Glades. Not joking. Tracing credit card numbers and transactions now."

Oliver turned to Thea, "So let's figure out what happened to your Dad. Why don't you take me to his place so I can see the damage for myself."


	12. Chapter 12

Oliver followed Thea over to Malcolm's place. He couldn't believe what he saw – the destruction looked either like multiple people or a Mirakuru soldier. How did this happen? He was still processing what he was seeing when his phone went off again, Felicity texting him, "Don't say anything to Thea. Meet me at my apartment – NOW!" Oliver quietly slipped his phone back in his pocket.

"Thea, I need to go but I promise that we will figure out what happened here." He grabbed her arm and looked at her intensely, "You have my word Thea, we will find your father's killer." Thea nodded understanding that Oliver would never back down from his word.

Oliver arrived at Felicity's apartment fifteen minutes later only to find her biting her nails and pacing in her living room. "Hey, I came as fast as I could, what is up?"

Felicity's face was pale and she looked anxious. She handed Oliver her tablet where a video was cued up. "I pulled the security footage from 'The Sport Hut' and I found who bought the arrows." Oliver grabbed the tablet from her and hit play. The first thirty seconds was just a serious of anonymous people buying a variety of sporting goods and then he saw the arrows. The footage was grainy but he could tell it was a woman, her hair was dark about shoulder length and dressed in what appeared to be a black suit, as if she was on break from work. Just before she walked away the woman turned to say something to the clerk and Oliver instantly recognized her – it was Lyla. Oliver's mouth fell open and he looked up at Felicity, "Have you shown this to Dig?"

Felicity shook her head, still pacing and biting her nails, "Oh no! I haven't told him nor do I want to. I mean I'm not going to be the reason these two – these two amazing people whom I both love end up in divorce court."

Oliver interjected, "They aren't married."

"Well not YET! Holy Cow! How do you think Dig is going to feel when he realizes that Lyla might have something to do with your disappearance or whatever happened to you? Holy cow! How do they do it?"

Oliver walked over to Felicity and looked quizzically, "Do what?"

"How do they stay in a relationship when they have to keep so many secrets from each other? I can keep a secret – obviously – but I don't think I could keep a secret from YOU. I mean you would just look at me the way you do –you know, with those arched eyebrows and stern mouth like I'm in trouble – all "Arrow" like and I would crumble. I would give it all up."

Oliver wrapped his arms around her, "Well, I guess it's a good thing that we are on the same team." And he gently kissed her forehead. "C'mon, we've gotta show this to Diggle and get some answers from Lyla."

By the time Oliver and Felicity got to The Foundry Diggle and Lyla were there, as well as Roy. Felicity decided it was best to take the bull by the horns and just get the truth out in the open, "I pulled the video surveillance from 'The Sport Hut' and we've identified the person who bought the arrows." Diggle's eyebrows shot up and Lyla pressed her lips tight together.

Diggle followed Felicity over to her desk, "That's great Felicity! Who is it?"

Felicity let the tape role and as the footage played the room grew deathly silent. Oliver and Felicity seemed to be taking turns watching Diggle and Lyla's reactions.

Diggle stumbled backwards and turned on his heels to look at Lyla, "WHAT THE HELL IS THAT?! YOU WANT TO EXPLAIN SOMETHING?"

Lyla stuffed her hands in her suit pockets and rocked back on her heels, "It was a strategic decision."

"Baby, I love you but you better give me somethin' more than it was a strategic decision when we're talking about my best friend possibly dying!"

Oliver stepped between them and raised his hands, "Hey, hey, hey, let's slow down." He turned to face Lyla, "Listen, I trust you Lyla. I think you and I see the world the same way and understand that tough decisions must be made. I'm willing to hear you out, but I think, as the person who has done the dying, I deserve an explanation."

Lyla stepped back and leaned her hands on the steel table, took a deep breath and began. "About six months ago The League approached Waller about Malcom Merlyn. Ra's had been trying to track him down since the Glades fell – he violated The League code of conduct and they wanted him dead. Waller wanted Merlyn dead because of the Glades as well. Plus, we knew it was only a matter of time before Merlyn became "undead" and started something even worse." Lyla started pacing around the Foundry. "We tried tracking him down but the man knows how to hide. It wasn't until he returned to Starling City with Thea that we finally got a lead on him. But Merlyn isn't stupid and he knows how to play the long game. He knew Ra's was gunning for him and he started to suspect ARGUS was too so he set himself up with an insurance policy" and she looked at Oliver

Oliver shifted on his feet, "You mean he played me? He knew I would defend Thea?"

Lyla continued, "Yes. Merlyn knew that by making Thea kill Sara the League would hunt her down, you would fight him, die and settle the debt with The League – AND you would then be out of the picture – something he desperately wanted because of Thea."

Diggle was shocked, "What went wrong? Why is Merlyn dead and Oliver alive?"

A small smile spread across Lyla's face, "Because Ra's Al Ghul isn't stupid and neither is ARGUS. Ra's wanted Merlyn. Period. Him sending Oliver was a silly ruse and Ra's saw right through it. We quickly put together a plan."

Diggle stopped her, "who is 'we'"?

"ARGUS and The League. Merlyn wasn't going to be easy to bring down – even with Oliver gone he would never make himself vulnerable. Ra's decided to kill Oliver and put him in the Lazarus Pit – knowing that he would go through a short period of insanity and then super strength. The plan was for Oliver to stay sedated during the crazy period and then dropped in Starling City for the super strength time. I bought some arrows, got a bow and pointed him in the right direction. The Lazarus Pit doesn't make you 'insane' as much as it enhances your already existing personality. You hate Merlyn – the Lazarus Pit just gave you the emotion and strength you needed to actually kill him, which you did. And now everybody is happy. ARGUS is rid of one psychotic killer – the League feels vindicated and will leave Starling City alone."

"And I've killed my sister's father" Oliver said with a placid voice.

Lyla looked at her toes, "Well, these kinds of plans are never perfect."

Diggle clenched his fists, "He could have died Lyla. Oliver could have died."

Lyla held her head high, she wasn't ashamed of her decision, "Yes, I know that. It wasn't completely my decision – most of this came from Waller, but I agreed with the decision. It was the best chance we had at bringing down a psychotic man who had the potential of doing more harm. I wish Thea hadn't been involved but that wasn't my choice that was Merlyn's."

Roy rolled his eyes, "Wow. I didn't see that coming."

Oliver just nodded. He understood the decision but he wasn't a fan of being manipulated. "I'm not even sure what to do from here."

Diggle let out a big sigh, "That is messed up. And I cannot believe you didn't tell me that Oliver was still alive."

Silence slowly rolled through the team - nobody knew what to do next.


	13. Chapter 13

**_Author's Note: I hate writing endings. They are always rough. This is the best I could manage. This ended up being about ten chapters longer than I anticipated. Thanks for sticking with me. _**

It was an hour later before Roy, Lyla and Diggle left the Foundry. Oliver sat slumped on the steel table, Felicity was collapsed in her desk chair and silence hung heavy in the air, neither one really sure what do. She slowly stood up and said, "C'mon, let's go home. That's a lot to take in for one night."

Oliver looked up from his hunched shoulders, "Home? Go where? I don't belong anywhere Felicity. My father killed himself to save me. MY enemy killed my mother. My sister is now a trained assassin by a man that I killed, who also happens to be her father. I don't know what I am any longer. What kind of brother does that? What kind of son….I'm no hero, I don't even know who Oliver Queen is or where he belongs."

Felicity's heart sank and her stomach churned. Nobody deserved to suffer all the things Oliver had experienced, the island, Slade Wilson, the Glades falling, and now to add Ra's Al Ghul to the list along with Malcolm Merlyn just felt cruel. How do you help somebody recover from that?

"Don't look at me like that Felicity." Oliver spit the words out like they tasted bad. His eyes dark with hurt, as if the monster that lurked within him was coming dangerously close to the surface. He jumped off the table and bit his lip, "I don't need your pity. I know I'm broken and I don't blame you for leaving."

Felicity felt tears begin to pool in her eyes. She wasn't going to let him do this, not again. He doesn't get to push her away not after all they had been through together. She set her purse back down and walked over to Oliver closing the distance between them. She glided her fingertips over his bare arms up to his shoulders. She pushed up on her toes and kissed his chin, his cheek, his lips, gently, softly allowing her hands quietly to hold him. Oliver stood rigid, waiting for her to change her mind.

She fell back onto her heels and rested her hands on his waist holding him in place. "Your name is Oliver Queen. You are the eldest son of the Queen family – a family that helped build this city. You are the bravest and strongest man I have ever met. You have a fierce sense of justice. You are loyal and true to your friends and family. And the woman standing in front of you loves you more than you will ever know and would be lost in this world without you." Silent tears etched their way down Felicity's face. Oliver's eyes softened and he swiped the tears away with his fingers. She took a deep breath and grabbed his hands. "Now then, it is late and we have big problems to solve tomorrow. It is time for us to go _home_." And with that she led Oliver out of the Foundry and back to her apartment.


End file.
